Problem: Determine how many solutions exist for the system of equations. ${2x+y = -3}$ ${2x+y = 1}$
Answer: Convert both equations to slope-intercept form: ${2x+y = -3}$ $2x{-2x} + y = -3{-2x}$ $y = -3-2x$ ${y = -2x-3}$ ${2x+y = 1}$ $2x{-2x} + y = 1{-2x}$ $y = 1-2x$ ${y = -2x+1}$ Just by looking at both equations in slope-intercept form, what can you determine? ${y = -2x-3}$ ${y = -2x+1}$ Both equations have the same slope with different y-intercepts. This means the equations are parallel. ${1}$ ${2}$ ${3}$ ${4}$ ${5}$ ${6}$ ${7}$ ${8}$ ${9}$ ${\llap{-}2}$ ${\llap{-}3}$ ${\llap{-}4}$ ${\llap{-}5}$ ${\llap{-}6}$ ${\llap{-}7}$ ${\llap{-}8}$ ${\llap{-}9}$ ${1}$ ${2}$ ${3}$ ${4}$ ${5}$ ${6}$ ${7}$ ${8}$ ${9}$ ${\llap{-}2}$ ${\llap{-}3}$ ${\llap{-}4}$ ${\llap{-}5}$ ${\llap{-}6}$ ${\llap{-}7}$ ${\llap{-}8}$ ${\llap{-}9}$ Parallel lines never intersect, thus there are NO SOLUTIONS.